SUMMARY - Thursday, 21 May 2026 - 9 p.m.

Bratislava, 21 May (TASR) - Slovakia will support the expansion of the European Union (EU) to include the countries of the Western Balkans, just as it supported Croatia in its integration efforts, President Peter Pellegrini stated at a meeting with Croatian Parliament's Chairman Gordan Jandrokovic on Thursday. https://etasr.sk/article/23314251 Bratislava, 21 May (TASR) - President Peter Pellegrini will host Slovak members of the European Parliament (EP) at a working lunch on Friday (22 May), however, he won't meet MEPs from opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS), who declined the invitation. https://etasr.sk/article/23314101 Helsingborg/Bratislava, 21 May (TASR) - Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) arrived in Sweden on Thursday to attend a meeting of foreign ministers from NATO-member states in Helsingborg, with the ministers set to discuss the development of the defence industry as well as responsibility for the future security of European partners within NATO. https://etasr.sk/article/23313567 Trnava, 21 May (TASR) - Trnava District Court will once again consider proposals to release former Banska Bystrica mob boss Mikulas Cernak on parole, Trnava Regional Court decided at a closed-door session on Thursday, TASR learnt from court spokesperson Martin Pogadl on the same day. https://etasr.sk/article/23313985 Bratislava, 21 May (TASR) - The government's updated budget targets won't lead to a significant improvement in public finances or to stabilising the public debt, stated the Budgetary Responsibility Council (RRZ) on Thursday as part of its assessment of the 2026 Annual Progress Report for Slovakia, which was recently approved by the government. https://etasr.sk/article/23313673 Brussels, 21 May (TASR-correspondent) - The European Commission's (EC) spring economic forecast for 2026, published on Thursday, predicts that Slovakia's real GDP growth will remain modest at 0.8 percent in 2026 and will rise to 1.5 percent in 2027, with the Commission noting that economic growth in Slovakia is stagnating due to uncertainty and fiscal consolidation. https://etasr.sk/article/23314227 Bratislava/Tel Aviv/Istanbul, 21 May (TASR) - A Slovak national who, along with other activists as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla initiative, was sailing to the Gaza Strip and was detained by the Israeli navy has been deported to Turkey, the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry told TASR on Thursday. https://etasr.sk/article/23314383 Notice: If you click on the link or copy it into the search window, the browser will display the full text of the message in the new e-TASR client zone. If you have any questions, please contact obchod@tasr.sk. am